Training Manual for Informal Caregivers of Older Persons

The population of older persons is increasing in Nigeria, just like many countries around the world. In 2020, an estimate suggested that those over 60 years and above in Nigeria were 4.6% of the total population or 9.4 million people. This number is expected to continue to grow over the next two decades, a reality that will lay bare the challenge of care and support of older persons in Africa's most populous country. For centuries, the family has played a central role in the care of the old and frail among us. Unfortunately, significant changes have occurred in the Nigerian society, with traditional support structures for older persons fast dismantling, on the heels of modernisation, urbanisation, family transitions, socioeconomic issues and migration. These changes are especially perplexing in Nigeria as more and more of the traditional primary caregivers of older persons are succumbing to 'japa' pressure. The question, therefore, is who cares for and how might we better support those taking care of older persons in Nigeria?

The Training Manual for Informal Caregivers of Older Persons, an output from the Capacity Building and Resources for Support of Older Persons (CAReS) project, led by Dr Eniola Cadmus, is a timely intervention in older persons' care in Nigeria. While attending to the critical need for the training of caregivers, the manual addresses key barriers and challenges in providing care for older persons. It attempts to standardise caregivers training towards supplementing and enhancing family care for older persons. The carefully selected topics in the manual focus on the essential areas of knowledge and capacity improvements that will benefit people supporting the care of older persons, including understanding the ageing process, how to provide practical assistance with activities of daily living, management of health conditions in older persons, financial literacy and self-care for caregivers.

Kudus Oluwatoyin Adebayo, PhD
Research Fellow